Flush plate for flush receptacles.



P. T. WHEELER.

PLUSH PLATE POR PLUSH RECEPTAGLES. APPLICATION FILED DEO. 7. 1906.

943,95. Patented Dec. 21, 1909.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEErcE.

Y FRANK T. WHEELER, OF PLAINVILLE, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE TRUMBULL ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PLAINVILLE, CONNECTICUT, A COR- PORATION 0F CONNECTICUT.

FLUSH PLATE FOR FLUSH RECEPTACLES.

Specication of Letters Patent.A

Patented Dec. 21,1909.

Application led December 7, 1906. Serial No. 346,729.

To all whom' 'it 'may concem:

Be it known that I, FRANK T. IVHEELER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of llainville, in the county of Hartford and State of-Connecticnt, (whose post-oiiice address is Plainville, Connecticut,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flush Plates for Flush Receptacles, of which the following is a full, clear, 'and exactV description, whereby anyone skilled in the art may make and use the same. l

The invention relates primarily to ll-lush receptacles 7 that is, the class of electrical devices in which the live terminals are arranged within a blockof insulating ma- 'terial which .is let in to a wall, baseboard or the like, and more particularly to the plate or finished cover for protecting the parts of the receptacle while giving access to its interior.

The objects ofthe invention are to provide a flush plate which is in truth an absolute flush plate covering the various parts of the receptacle and lying wholly upon the surface of the wall or base board.

Referrilg to the d1a)vings:-Figure 1 is a sectiona vie\vthrough such a receptacle and its face plate. Fig. 2 is a detail face view of the rear face of the face plate. Fig. 3 is a front face view of the same. Fig. '-L is a detail plan view of a portion of the receptacle showing the fasteningl lugs with the faceplate removed. Fig. 5 is a sectional view through the plate and trap cutting through one of the stops for the trap.

It is particularly desirable in the use of flush receptacles that the insulating block or base be located entirely within the wall opening of the wall or base-board; and it is also essential that the face-platev rests securely against the face of the wall or baseboard. Of course, to hold the receptacle in placelmeans must be provided for securing it, and these holding means have genery ally been of such a form and arrangement that it was necessary to mar the surface of the Wall where they are secured. It is one of the objects of the present in vention to provide a faceplate in conjunction with holding means for the receptacle, which will permit the face-plate resting wholly against the face of the wall and with the holdmg means also exterior to the wall until the trap and opening fit nicely togethen Referring to the drawings, the numeral l denotes a block of insulating material for a flush receptacle, having the usual central opening 2 within which are arranged a tubular contact member 3 and a central stud Contact member 4. At either end of the insulating block l and on its outer face are formed recesses 5 surrounded by insulating material and within which are suitably secured lugs or tangs 6. These are preferably secured `to the insulating base by screws passing through said base and. entering threaded openings in the lugs. The outer ends of the lugs terminate in eye pieces 7, which are offset from the main body. part 8 of the lug and have their lower surface 9 lying substantially in the same plane with `the outer face of the insulating block 1. The eyes 7 are perforated as at 8, and afford a convenient means of securing the receptacle in place without necessitating the cutting away of the Wall or base-board to let in the eyes or holding lugs.

The numeral 10 denotes -the face plate which is arranged -to be secured to the lugs or tangs 6 by screws 11. The face plate has a hinged door or trap 12 overlying the central opening 2 and terminal contacts-of the receptacle; and, on its rear face, has openings 13 of a suliieient depth to receive the eye portions 7 of the holding lugs or tangs, thus bringing the face plate 10 into close contact with the surfaeeof the wall or baseboard. By this arrangement the insertion and removal of all of the arts may be readily made from the outsi e without necessitating cuttin of the wall or base-board. It is understoo of course, that the main openings of rectangular form are ordinarily j edge of which is a pivot opening made lduring the construction of the buildin for the purpose of receiving the rectanguar base o the receptacle. The outer face of the face-plate 10, when the hinged door or trap 12 is closed, presents a smoothand unbroken appearance except for the slight depression 14 which affords a finger opening to permit' grasping the bevel edge of the trap or door. The trap is of substantially circular form as to its body part 16, and has an extending portion 17, through the lower or the hinge pivot 18. v

Coincident with the line of the pivot is an opening T9 formed in the rear ce of the face plate 10 by running amilling cutter l or like device across said plate. This is of a sucient depth to receive thepivot 18 and bring the outer Vedges 'of the trap or door justtlush with the surface of the face-plate. To secure the hinge pivot 18 in place, the metal at the sides of the milled opening, is

swaged down on opposite sides thereof as at i 20, thuscontracting the` opening 19 and securely binding the pivot in place,

Y The face-plate 10 is beveled away as at 21 to permit swinging of the door without interfering with its perfectly flush appearance when it is in closed position. To prevent forcing the plate inward there are provided lugs 25 Vwhich are stamped up from the back of the faceplate 10 and forced outward into the opening through said plate. The upper surface 26 of these lugs is formed to correspond to the' bevel edge 27 'on the trap and thus the face of the plate 10 and its trap are always maintained in perfect alinement, giv.- ing a smooth plate surface. In producing this face-plate the door or trap 12 is pressed owing somewhat. The opening formed by pressnig out the trap is then roamed and the edges of the trap are trimmed to nicely fitone another. The lugs 25 arel formed by pressing .out small portions of the metal at the edge of the opening for the trap and thus provide the necessary stops to prevent inward kmovement 0f the trap against the porcelain base.- Obviously thev stop lugs wall opening and secured through the eyes 7, and that the flush-plate may then be applied, giving a most linish'ed appearance Without necessitating the sinking v of the holding parts into the surface of the wall or base-board. f

lvV hat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is `1. As an article of manufacture, ay facev plate having a hinged trap, said trap being pressed out of the body of the face plate,

.and leaving an opening therein conforming substantially to the general outline of the trap, said opening having a lug projecting thereinto and pressed out of the 'metal of the face plate and forming a ystop for the trap, said trap being of substantially circulaiform with an integral projection, the vlatter pivoted in the opening of the face plate.

2. As an article of manufacture, a face plate for Hush receptacles having a hinged trap, said trap being of substantially circular forni with an integral projection, the

whole pressed out of the face plate and pivy oted in the opening thus formed, a trans- V'verse hinge pivot intermediate the projection out of the body of the plate 10, the metal trap.

' FRANK T. WHEELER. Witnesses:

C. W. JONES, L. L. BRAs'row. 

